Pet Me Poppa
by The Jew in Gryffindor
Summary: The Story of a Hot Box Girl. From the musical Guys and Dolls. Takes place before the actual musical. Read and Review
1. We Meet Our Fair Heroine

A/N: I realize the Pet Me Poppa is from the original movie, and that 1948 is the time of the revival. Just work with me here.  
  
My given, Christian name was Sara-Anne Elizabeth Sulley. Most of the people I knew called me Sara, or Anne, or Miss Sulley. And then I moved to New York.  
  
I had always lived in a little farming town in Canada. I never really went into the city because my town was really far away, due to the many farms. So, I was used to living in a place where everyone knew me. But then I got older, and felt like a big fish in a small pond. I had to be famous. I had to go someplace where I could be famous. New York.  
  
"Mom, I'm leaving today." I held a suitcase in my hand, packed with clothing, dance supplies, and the occasional book.  
  
My mother looked up from the eggs she was cooking. "What? Oh. Well hello Sara. You're awake. Why don't you sit down and eat some eggs?"  
  
"I'm leaving."  
  
My mother turned all the way around on this. "Where are you going? Why do you need that big suitcase?"  
  
"I'm going to New York."  
  
Her eyes narrowed. "Sara I won't allow it! You'll stay here and-"  
  
"I'm leaving."  
  
"Well then don't expect to be welcome in this house when you come crawling back. Dig cities change girls Sara. In bad ways."  
  
"Fine. I'm still leaving." I had never had the best relationship with my mother.  
  
She turned her back to me. "Good-bye then."  
  
That was the last I heard of my mother for a long time.  
  
I boarded the train, full of hope. 1948 was a very good time to be out in the world, I decided. I could rent an apartment, get a job, then start auditioning. Broadway. I shivered with pleasure and anticipation, then pressed my forehead against the cool glass of the window.  
  
First things first, get a place to live...but all the places I went to wanted money in advance, so I decided to try and find a job first. I figured I could just waitress. I walked into the first place I saw with a help wanted sign.  
  
"Hello. I would like to apply for a job."  
  
"Can you dance?" A man with a bushy mustache and dark, dark hair asked. What kind of a question was that? I only wanted to waitress. Oh well, if it gives me a better chance.  
  
"Yes I can." I held my head up.  
  
"Let's see it then." The man pulled out a big pad of paper.  
  
"Al-alright." I took off my shoes and danced a few steps.  
  
"It'll do. Welcome, newest Hot Box Girl. What's your name?" His pen was poised over the paper like a cobra about to strike.  
  
"Sara-Anne Elizabeth Sulley."  
  
"Well hello then, Sara-Anne. I'm Charlie, Charlie Dawson."  
  
We shook hands. His next few words told me that I had found the perfect job.  
  
"I assume you'll in the Hot Box apartment over the stage with the rest of the girls? It comes free, a perk of the job. Come with me, I'll show it to you." He pulled a key out of his pocket. It was on a pink silk rope. "This is yours."  
  
I slid it around my neck. As I followed him, he talked.  
  
"You'll be the perfect replacement for Candy. She was just your size. Absolutely perfect. Doubt I'll even have to have wardrobes take in the costumes too much. You're a little wider though....but you'll lose it I suppose."  
  
We reached the top of the stairs. "Here we go." He pulled another key out of his breast pocket and opened the door. I thought I had entered another world, one of pink, gold and sequins.  
  
"We have our newest girl," Charlie roared. "Everyone give a warm welcome to Sara-Anne!"  
  
Girls in matching pink silk robes with names sewn on the pockets filed in from what looked like a large dormitory. "Hello!" They chorused.  
  
Someone pushed past the group of girls. Her bathrobe was longer, and black to their pink.  
  
"She'll do." She said, sniffing, then blowing her nose in a matching hanky. "She IS Candy's size. We just have to teach her the dances and then do something with her hair."  
  
"My hair?" My hands immediately went to protectively fluff my chestnut curls.  
  
"Yes dear." The woman sniffed again, then sneezed. "Blonde will suit you better honey, but the style is fine." She fingered some of my hair. "Could use a trim though." She blew her nose. "I'm Adelaide."  
  
"Our star." Charlie beamed. I had forgotten he was there.  
  
"Oh Charlie!" I noticed Adelaide spoke in the same high-pitched nasal tones as the rest of the girls. "Anyway Charlie, we all know you love us, but you had better leave us so we can clean her up."  
  
"Good-bye now!" The girls squealed and waved in unison.  
  
"Good-bye." I said, looking away. I still wasn't sure what they were going to do to my hair.  
  
"Erm..." I said after he left, and the girls had once again vanished into the room from which they had come. "Is Charlie your...um...lover?"  
  
Adelaide laughed so much that tears sprang into her eyes. She wiped them off her cheeks with a hanky, not even smearing her mascara. "Oh, poor dear. You're not from around here, are you?"  
  
I shook my head.  
  
"Of course you aren't honey!" Adelaide was shaking with mirth, causing her blonde curls to fly out from under it's black silk wrap. "All of the girls and I absolutely cannot STAND him. But, he pays us, so we put up with him. But you better watch out. He tries-well, funny stuff. So watch out."  
  
"Funny stuff?"  
  
"Yes dear, funny stuff. Fortunately, my Nathan-"  
  
"Your Nathan?"  
  
"Nathan. Nathan Detroit?" My blank look spoke volumes. "You really AREN'T from around here, are you? Where are you from?"  
  
I whispered it quietly.  
  
"CANADA?" She sneezed violently, then blew her nose loudly. "You mean you aren't even AMERICAN?"  
  
"No. I'm not. Is that bad?"  
  
"Of course not. What's your name again honey?"  
  
"Sara-Anne Elizabeth Sulley."  
  
"That's a mouthful! You're just Sara-Anne now dear. Just Sara-Anne. 


	2. Blondes Have More Fun

I ran my hair through my now platinum blonde hair.  
  
"Oh honey it looks gorgeous!" Adelaide stood proudly over me, scissors held at a graceful angle. Norma-Mae, another Hot Box Girl with nails so bright and shiny she could probably flag down a train, pulled out a mirror.  
  
I looked at myself. I didn't scream. In fact, I let out a shrill giggle.  
  
"How'd you know I'd look good as a blonde?"  
  
"Everyone looks good as a blonde!" Daphne snuck a peek in the mirror and checked her lipstick as she said this, all the while chomping on her gum.  
  
"Wow. Thanks!" I stood up, straightening my suit. It matched the suits of all the others. Now my hair matched as well. And, three days after coming here, I was starting to talk like them as well.  
  
"Don't mention it." Adelaide flushed with pleasure. "You need to look good. You debut tonight!"  
  
Suddenly Charlie burst through the door, not even knocking. We were in the large group bathroom adjacent to the mass dorm where we all slept.  
  
"Hello Charlie!" Daphne said, smiling broadly, letting the light bounce off her shining teeth.  
  
"Hello. Adelaide." He nodded to her. "Girls." Another nod. "I just came to tell you that the costumes for My French Friend aren't in yet, and I want you to practice A Paris Pal so you'll be good tonight if we can't do–"  
  
"Charlie–"  
  
"Adelaide I am sick and tired of you trying to stall me. When you're not stalling me you're out with that bum Nathan Detroit!" Charlie's face was red and sweaty and his bulk made him seem extra-menacing in the stark light of the bathroom.  
  
Adelaide brought a hand to cover her gasping scarlet-lipsticked mouth. "Charlie I was just going to show you Sara–"  
  
"Go practice."  
  
"Anne's new–"  
  
"PRACTICE!" The words rang out and echoed against the walls, causing more then one girl to jump in alarm.  
  
Adelaide looked like a kicked kitten. "Yes Charlie" She turned to us. "Girls?"  
  
"Yes Charlie!" We said like good little girls and filed out of the bathroom. 


	3. Stage Fright

My chance to be famous. My debut. I stood nervously in the wings, shaking my hands up and down like they were my anchor to my old life, and must be pushed away.  
  
"Oh, poor Chickie's got stage fright." Daphne snapped her gum and smiled. "I wouldn't worry 'bout it too much honey. They aren't going to notice you much the first night."  
  
"Now Daphne!" Penelope, a new-found friend, stood over me. Penelope was by far the tallest Hot Box Girl, and the high-heeled shoes she wore made her even taller. She was also the most graceful, and, as I was told and had observed, held a little more over gum-chewing Daphne, thought Daphne was Charlie's girl. I found many people didn't like Daphne very much, and I didn't either.  
  
"It's–it's ok. I'm just a little nervous." I smiled, gritting my teeth.  
  
"Now, now." Penelope patted me on the shoulder. "It's ok to be nervous. It really is. I remember, I was nervous my first night too."  
  
Daphne was giving us rude looks. She had moved away and was talking to Norma-Mae in harsh whispers.  
  
"It's time girls!" Adelaide came into the dressing room with an air about her. "Ready girls?" She surveyed us. "You look lovely Sara-Anne."  
  
Penelope nudged me. I tried to smile sweetly, but couldn't. I gave an uncomfortable grimace instead.  
  
They were all changing out of their Pet Me Poppa clothes and into their Bushel and a Peck outfits. I had already changed. I hadn't had time to learn the other dances, so here I stood, for the whole review, waiting for my debut, in the finale.  
  
"Is my lipstick on right?" Carla leaned in close to the mirror. She was short and large chested, with a very grating voice. She danced well though, and had a pretty face, so she usually had some admirers hanging around the dressing room. There were rumors though, that she had a boyfriend that was in a Latino gang. I didn't know if I believed it.  
  
"Yes. It looks very good." I smiled at her.  
  
"Yours looks lovely too sugar!" She leaned over and gave me a quick informal hug. "Nervous? Don't be. They'll love you."  
  
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and got ready to dance my heart out. 


End file.
